The dust has settled on another dramatic weekend in Big 12 softball, and the conference title picture has undergone a significant shakeup. While Texas cruised to a dominant sweep over Baylor, both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State faltered. The Cowgirls’ surprising series loss to Iowa State, coupled with Oklahoma’s inability to secure a clean sweep against BYU, has cleared the path for the Longhorns to solidify their position as the undisputed number one heading into the crucial final stretch of the regular season.
The conference remains a hotbed of excitement with three crucial weeks remaining in the regular season. Every game carries significant weight as teams jockey for position in the conference tournament. Here’s a look at the power rankings for Week 11.
1. Texas (14-4, 35-6) (Last Week: 2) – The Longhorns become the conference leader after their sweep of Baylor. Their recent success, including the series win over Oklahoma, solidifies their position as the team to beat. However, they can’t afford any missteps in their remaining games.
2. Oklahoma (15-3 38-4) (Last Week: 3) – The Sooners bounce back with a series win over BYU, showcasing their resilience. While their consistency remains a question mark, their potent offense and pitching continues to be a force when they’re on.
3. Oklahoma State (13-5, 35-8) (Last Week: 1) – The Cowgirls fall to number three after a surprising series loss to Iowa State. This setback potentially hurts their seeding in the conference tournament, but their talent remains a threat.
4. Kansas (11-7, 26-14-1) (Last Week: 4) – The Jayhawks hold steady at number four despite losing to Texas Tech. Their ability to bounce back from adversity positions them as a dangerous team in the conference tournament.
5. Texas Tech (6-9, 26-13) (Last Week: 8) – The Red Raiders climb a spot after their series win over Kansas. Their NCAA Tournament hopes are alive, but a strong showing in the remaining regular-season games and the conference tournament is crucial to secure a berth.
Rest of the Conference:
- UCF (10-8, 25-15) – The Knights remain a force with their sweep over Houston.
- Iowa State (5-10, 16-22) – The Cyclones’ upset win over Oklahoma State keeps their postseason hopes alive, but they need a strong finish to the regular season.
- Baylor (5-13, 22-17) – The Bears aren’t able to get by just on pitching and defense anymore.
- BYU (5-13, 22-19) – The Cougars made a statement against Oklahoma and will look to improve their position over the final three weeks.
- Houston (3-15, 22-20) – The Cougars can draw inspiration from BYU as they prepare to face Oklahoma this weekend.
Looking Ahead:
The Big 12 conference race remains wide open. Texas holds the top spot, but Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Kansas are all hungry to challenge. The next three weeks will be crucial in determining seeding for the conference tournament. Every game will be a battle, and the race for the championship promises to be thrilling. Big 12 softball fans, get ready for an exciting conclusion to the regular season!
How Oklahoma Compares Against The Big 12
Batting
Oklahoma’s team batting average dipped slightly from last week’s average of .382. The Sooners still remain the best hitting team in the conference, though.
| RANK | TEAM | AVG |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | .379 |
| 2 | TEXAS | .369 |
| 3 | BYU | .326 |
| 4 | UCF | .321 |
| 5 | TEXAS TECH | .319 |
| 6 | OKLAHOMA STATE | .309 |
| 7 | HOUSTON | .307 |
| 8 | BAYLOR | .283 |
| 9 | KANSAS | .276 |
| 10 | IOWA STATE | .269 |
Worth Noting: Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in home runs with 85. The next closest to the program is Oklahoma State with 66.
Best on the Team: Rylie Boone is batting .443 for Oklahoma, placing her with the third highest average in the conference.
Pitching
Oklahoma remains the top pitching staff in the conference, holding a slight edge over Texas.
| RANK | TEAM | ERA |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | 1.65 |
| 2 | TEXAS | 1.69 |
| 3 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 1.82 |
| 4 | UCF | 2.97 |
| 5 | KANSAS | 3.08 |
| 6 | BAYLOR | 3.48 |
| 7 | TEXAS TECH | 4.82 |
| 8 | IOWA STATE | 5.26 |
| 9 | BYU | 5.29 |
| 10 | HOUSTON | 5.79 |
| 10 | IOWA STATE | 5.53 |
Worth Noting: The Sooners have four pitchers ranked in the Top 10 of the Big 12, in ERA. Kierston Deal is #2, Karlie Keeney is #4, Kelly Maxwell is #5 and Nicole May is #10.
Best on the Team: Deal’s ERA is 1.32 on the season. She’s fanned a total of 41 batters and has built a 8-1 record.
Fielding
Oklahoma’s fielding percentage dropped a little from last week. They’re still the top defensive team in the conference but Oklahoma State is really pushing them.
| RANK | TEAM | FLD% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKLAHOMA | 0.985 |
| 2 | OKLAHOMA STATE | 0.981 |
| 3 | UCF | 0.980 |
| 4 | TEXAS TECH | 0.971 |
| 5 | BAYLOR | 0.969 |
| 6 | KANSAS | 0.968 |
| 7 | HOUSTON | 0.967 |
| 8 | BYU | 0.964 |
| 9 | TEXAS | 0.964 |
| 10 | IOWA STATE | 0.953 |
Worth Noting: The Sooners played error-free ball last week and have committed the fewest errors in the Big 12 with just sixteen on the season.
Best on the Team: Riley Ludlam and Alynah Torres both are boasting perfect fielding percentages.
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Sooners do not have 6 losses, only 4 and only 3 in the conference. Where are you getting your stats from?
It was an honest mistake. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.